Absolute Dental study group will be welcoming guest speaker Chris Barrow on Tuesday 2nd June at the Thurlestone Hotel. This will be a fantastic evening for all the dental team, Chris will be sharing his wealth of knowledge, experience and expertise, Chris will have you captivated and motivated to have the confidence to sell high value treatments.
As a speaker Chris is dynamic, energetic and charismatic enough to captivate audiences of any size. His style is casual, open and authentic and – being naturally caring and funny – he’s as easy to talk to as he is to listen to.
Chris combines his long experience and deep expertise with the originality and independence needed to resolve the thorniest problems. Naturally direct, assertive and determined, he has the ability to reach conclusions quickly, as well as the sharp reflexes and lightness of touch to innovate, change tack and push boundaries.
The next study evening will be Tuesday 14th September with Diane Cox presenting 'The needs of a dental nurse in a forward thinking practice' limited spaces still available for the 14th September, book early to avoid disappointment.

As you will all (hopefully!) be aware, we run a training course for student dental nurses from Absolute Dental that has been accredited by the National Examining Board for Dental Nurses (NEBDN). I am the main tutor of the course and feel that I am well placed to know what it takes to succeed in the examination, having sat it myself in recent years and achieving a distinction. However, I always strive to be the very best at anything I set out to do, and I began to think; “How can I improve this course?”……and so I applied to the NEBDN to become an examiner for the National Certificate exam! I thought what an added string to our bow it would be to teach the course not only from a students’ perspective, but also from an examiners perspective, teaching exactly what the examiners are looking for. I truly believe it will enhance the course dramatically. So, I was thrilled to learn recently that my initial application has been successful, and subject to a weekend training in October and an interview with the Chairman of the NEBDN, I should hopefully be an official NEBDN examiner before the end of the year! I’m very proud and very excited to be considered, and as always will endeavour to perform my role to the very best of my abilities in the hope of producing a fine generation of exceptional dental nurses.

Maureens First Blog!

Welcome to my first Absolute Dental blog! I am thrilled to have the chance to contribute to our blog and as the newest member of the team I wanted to take the opportunity to tell you about the changes you will find and the benefits I will be bringing to your hygiene appointments. The first three words I considered in describing my arrival at Absolute Dental were new, different and change. These are all words we use almost daily and some of us see them as a positive and some see them as more challenging!
Although I am technically new to working at Absolute Dental, I have had the good fortune to have enjoyed the friendship and professional company of many of our team over the last decade, so it feels very much like being a part of the family and I want to contribute to the warm, friendly atmosphere we create in the practice.
Sometimes taking a different approach or introducing you to new techniques can make a considerable improvement to your dental health and you will find that I will regularly ask our patients to bring in their toothbrushes or I may ask more questions about your general health or maybe your diet as well! All the little details about your daily dental routine are key to helping me give you get the maximum benefit from your dental health and helps me form a picture of how things look and feel from your point of view.
I understand that change can be daunting for some and that it sometimes feels that just when we have got to know someone and gained their trust, situations or people change!!! I want these changes to be a very positive experience and to help you enjoy getting the best out of your dental health.
Welcome!!!!!!!!!!!

I think all dental professionals never really “switch off” from the job, and so it was with interest that I read an article in The Sunday Times this week. The article detailed how the snacks on our supermarket shelves that are branded as the “healthy”, low-fat snacks can actually contain more than 3 times the amount of sugar than chocolate ice cream. So, these healthy alternatives that we put in our children’s lunchboxes or take to work are often sweetened with extra sugar to improve the taste (taste that was lost when the food industry focused its attention on reducing saturated fats in foods a while ago), and often end up with a higher sugar content than the conventional “regular” alternative. Tinned foods are often over sweetened and some supermarket made sushi were even found to be sprinkled with sugar.
Leading health experts are concerned that this reliance on sugar in processed foods could not only cause obesity, but also heart disease, diabetes and tooth decay.
One example given in the article was Kellogg’s Special K Fruits of the Forest bars, which are promoted as a healthy alternative during slimming. However, they contain a whooping 39% sugar (including 5 different types of sugar AND an artificial sweetener too!), which is a higher proportion than in the company’s Coco Pops cereal! Even Walkers “Baked” low fat crisps were found to contain 16 times more sugar than the regular variety and Yeo Valley natural yoghurt has 8.4g of sugar in it’s low fat version compared to 6.6g in the regular version. Despite a spokesperson from Kellogg’s defending the ingredients of their Special K bar by saying that the sugar content was equivalent to less than 2 teaspoons of sugar, it does highlight the need to look more closely at food labelling to discover the “hidden sugars” in our diets. Words like fructose, dextrose and glycerol are all types of sugars and should be looked for on food labels. We know of the proven link between sugar in our diet and tooth decay, but when food manufacturers are “sneaking” sugar into so many of our foods, we often unwittingly consume higher levels of sugar than is recommended (which is just 6 teaspoons per day according to the American Heart Association). So, be extra vigilant with food labels, check the levels of sugar contained in “low fat” or “healthy” foods and always keep sugary foods to mealtimes only, try to avoid snacking between meals. Speak to anyone of the team at Absolute Dental if you would like more advice when it comes to a healthy diet.

National Smile Month 2010

National Smile Month Runs from May 16th – June 16th and is aimed at improving the public’s oral health. The British Dental Health Foundation are the charity behind the campaign, which is this year entitled “Teeth 4 Life”, and they have three key messages:
1) Twice daily brushing with fluoride toothpaste
2) Cut down on sugary foods & drinks
3) Regular visits to the dentist

The campaign highlights the importance of looking after your teeth & maintaining them for life, also stressing that a healthy diet can improve your quality of life. Once again, the message also intends to raise awareness of the systemic link between good oral health and good overall body health. The foundation has evidence of links between poor oral health and premature births, diabetes, strokes and coronary heart disease.

The February issue of Obstetrics & Gynaecology published details of a case in Ohio where oral bacteria from a 35 year-old woman’s gingivitis was found to be the cause of her stillborn baby. The Foundation reported that preventative treatment of severe gum disease in pregnant women could help avoid premature births.

Studies have also found that some of the bacteria involved in aggressive periodontal disease carry a “statistically significant association” with an increased risk of heart attack. This follows previous research into the direct link between oral bacteria and heart attacks.

At the University of California, scientists have found that gum disease may contribute to the blocking of the carotid artery, leading to an increased risk of strokes. Blocked carotid arteries were much more common in patients with gum disease.

In May 2009, evidence was presented at the International Association of Dental Research Conference which supported the link between oral health & diabetes. Regular dental checks are an ideal screening for early signs of diabetes and the evidence also suggested that those who have undiagnosed gum disease are at an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.
For the foundation, and all of us involved in dentistry, the 2010 campaign gives us an excellent opportunity to get EVERYONE involved in promoting good oral healthcare, and the benefits to our overall well-being. For more information please visit www.smilemonth.org